Media release – Raise Our Voice Australia, 27 October 2025
Youth Voice in Parliament Week Kicks Off – Young Tasmanians’ Ideas Echo in Federal Parliament
Youth Voice in Parliament Week 2025 has officially begun, and Tasmanian MPs are joining more than 70 politicians across the country to amplify the voices of young Australians in the nation’s capital.
From 27 to 31 October, young Tasmanians aged 6 to 25 will have their speeches read aloud in Federal Parliament by their local representatives — placing youth perspectives on issues like mental health, housing, climate action, education and cost of living into national political debate.
MPs and Senators from across the political spectrum — including Jess Teesdale, Richard Colbeck, Helen Polley, and Wendy Askew — are dedicating a speaking slot in Parliament to share a 90-second speech written by a young person from their electorate.
Now in its fifth year, Raise Our Voice in Parliament has grown into one of Australia’s largest youth civic engagement campaigns.
In 2025, more than 500 young people from every state and territory submitted speeches responding to the question – “What should the government do today to build a better tomorrow for young Australians?”
The submissions highlighted both the diversity and urgency of youth priorities — from bold climate solutions to better youth mental health support. While the topics varied, the message was unified – young Australians are not just the leaders of tomorrow — they are ready to lead today.
The most frequently raised themes included:
Youth Voice, Participation & Government Accountability
Climate Action & Energy Transition
Education & Skills
Mental Health & Wellbeing
Cost of Living & Housing
“Youth Voice in Parliament has shown, year after year, that young Australians have the ideas, evidence and lived experience to shape better policy.
After five years, one thing is clear: we don’t have a youth apathy problem — we have an access problem. When we create space for young voices, we unlock solutions our country desperately needs,” said Raise Our Voice Australia Head of Policy, Jasmine Werneburg.
Raise Our Voice in Parliament is a non-partisan national campaign led by Raise Our Voice Australia, a youth-led social enterprise mobilising young people — particularly young women and gender-diverse youth — to influence policy and politics through campaigns, research and training.
What began in 2021 with just a handful of speeches has become a national movement reshaping civic participation — with over 500 submissions in 2025 alone.
To view the speeches in parliament or for more updates visit https://raiseourvoiceaustralia.com/
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